Abrasive and dust separator

ABSTRACT

Provided is a centrifuge media separator for separating blast particulate from fine particulate carried by air flowing from a blast cabinet and through the media separator. The centrifuge media separator comprises an upper panel, a lower panel, and an outer wall. The upper panel has a central opening formed therein. The outer wall is configured in a generally curvilinear shape and which extends between the upper and lower panels. The outer wall has at least one particulate escape aperture formed therein. The upper panel, lower panel and outer wall collectively define a curvilinear air passageway having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is configured to allow a flow of air to enter the air passageway and circulate therethrough toward the outlet. The escape aperture is configured to exhaust the blast particulate out of the passageway. The central opening is configured to exhaust the fine particulate out of the passageway.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to blast cabinets and, moreparticularly, to a uniquely configured centrifuge media separator thatmay be included with the blast cabinet and which is specifically adaptedto separate blast particulate from fine particulate such that the blastparticulate may be recycled through the blast cabinet while the fineparticulate may be removed from the blast cabinet in order to improvethe visibility of a workpiece being blasted within the blast cabinet.

Blast cabinets are typically utilized to clean or generally preparesurfaces of a workpiece by directing high pressure fluid containingabrasive blast media or blast particulate toward the workpiece. Theabrasive blast particulate is typically a relatively hard material suchas sand, sodium bicarbonate (i.e., baking soda), metallic shot or glassbeads although many other materials may be selected for use as the blastparticulate. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical blast cabinet such as thatwhich is commercially available from MEDIA BLAST & ABRASIVES, INC. ofBrea, Calif. The blast cabinet typically includes a housing supported onlegs. The housing defines a generally air tight enclosure having a pairof arm holes with gloves hermetically sealed thereto such that anoperator may manipulate a blast hose and/or the workpiece for blastingthereof within the enclosure. The blast hose is configured to direct thehigh pressure fluid such as air carrying the blast particulate at highvelocity toward the workpiece surfaces. The blast cabinet typicallyincludes a transparent window to allow the operator to manipulate theworkpiece and to visually observe the progress of the blasting.

During blasting, the blast particulate bounces off of the workpiece andis generally violently thrown about within the enclosure such that aportion of the blast particulate normally breaks down into smallerdust-like particles hereinafter referred to as fine particulate. Inaddition, surface coatings, dirt and scale that are abraded from theworkpiece by the blast media contribute to the formation of fineparticulate within the enclosure. The fine particulate is too small tobe effective as a blast medium and therefore must be eventually removedfrom the blast cabinet. In addition, the fine particulate is of suchsmall size such that it may be suspended in the air within the enclosureof the blast cabinet. Over time, the gradual buildup of the fineparticulate can create a foggy or clouded environment within theenclosure which visually impairs or obstructs the operator's view of theworkpiece. Due to health and safety regulations and environmentalrestrictions, the particulate-filled air cannot simply be exhausted tothe atmosphere. Rather, the particulate-filled air must be filteredprior to exhaustion in order to remove the fine particulate carriedtherein.

Accordingly, many prior art blast cabinets are ventilated and includefilters such that at least a portion of the fine particulate may bepurged from the air. The filters may be configured as a replaceablecartridge filter or as a tube style filter. Regardless of its specificconfiguration, the filter traps the fine particulate during continuousexhaustion of the air from the enclosure. In this manner, visibility ofthe enclosure is enhanced such that the operator may more clearlyobserve the workpiece during blasting. Unfortunately, gradual buildup ofthe fine particulate on the filter reduces its filtering efficiency suchthat the filter must be periodically cleaned and/or replaced. Inaddition to filtering the fine particulate, the filter may also trapsome of the blast particulate. The gradual buildup of the blastparticulate increases the frequency of filter replacement. Furthermore,blast particulate which may otherwise be recycled is unintentionallydiscarded during replacement of the filter. Continuous supplementing ofthe blast particulate to replace the discarded blast particulate resultsin an increase in the operating cost of the blast cabinet.

As can be seen, there exists a need in the art for a simple blastcabinet having the capability to purge fine particulate from air priorto its exhaustion out of the enclosure in order to improve theoperator's visibility of the workpiece within the enclosure. Inaddition, there exists a need in the art for a blast cabinet whereinblast particulate may be separated from fine particulate such that theblast particulate may be recycled through the blast cabinet.Furthermore, there exists a need in the art for a blast cabinet whereinthe frequency of filter replacement is reduced such that the overalloperating cost of the blast cabinet is reduced. Finally, there exists aneed in the art for a blast cabinet wherein the incorporation of thecentrifuge media separator eliminates the need for a filter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a centrifugemedia separator for a blast cabinet. The centrifuge media separatorseparates the blast particulate from the fine particulate in order topurge the fine particulate from an interior of the blast cabinet so asto increase the visibility of a workpiece being blasted. In addition,the centrifuge media separator allows for reclaiming or recycling ofblast particulate that has not been reduced into particulate of smallersize (i.e., fine particulate).

The blast cabinet may be comprised of a housing of generally invertedpyramid shape such that spent blast particulate may be funneleddownwardly toward a lower portion of the housing for recycling. Thehousing has an enclosure with arm holes to which two gloves may beattached. The housing may also include a window such that an operatormay reach though the arm holes to grasp and manipulate the workpieceduring blasting. High pressure, high velocity fluid such as air acts asa carrier medium to carry blast particulate for high velocity dischargeonto surfaces of the workpiece to remove coatings from or otherwiseprepare the workpiece surfaces.

Mounted upon an upper portion of the housing may be the centrifuge mediaseparator which has an air passageway through which the blast media maybe drawn by a low pressure source such as a blower. The centrifuge mediaseparator is fluidly connected to the enclosure of the blast cabinet.The low pressure source is fluidly connected to the centrifuge mediaseparator and is configured to draw air into the inlet and exhaust airthrough the central opening such that the blast media may be drawnupwardly from the enclosure and into the air passageway wherein theblast particulate may be separated from the fine particulate. The bloweris configured to ventilate the enclosure by providing low pressure in anarea surrounding the centrifuge media separator. The low pressureprovided by the blower draws spent portions of the blast media into thecentrifuge media separator for subsequent separation into blastparticulate and fine particulate.

The centrifuge media separator is comprised of an upper panel, a lowerpanel, and an outer wall extending between the upper panel and the lowerpanel. The upper panel has a central opening formed in a central portionthereof through which the fine particulate may be exhausted. Both theupper panel and the lower panel may be generally flat while the outerwall may be curvilinear and may be formed in a generally spiralconfiguration of generally decreasing radius. The inlet and the outletof the air passageway may be generally located adjacent to one anotherwith the outlet being disposed within the air passageway.

The outer wall may include at least one particulate escape apertureformed therein such that the blast particulate may be exhausted from theair passageway for subsequent recycling through the blast cabinet. Anair foil may be mounted on the outer wall to facilitate exhaustion ofthe blast particulate through the escape aperture. The air foil may be aseparate component that is mounted on the outer wall or it may beintegrally formed with the outer wall. An extension may be mounted onthe outer wall and may extend between the upper and lower panels ingenerally alignment with the outer wall such that the outlet is locateddownstream of the inlet. The extension may be included to prevent areversal of flow through the air passageway. The air passageway may beconfigured such that its cross sectional area generally decreases alonga direction of the flow of the air from the inlet to the outlet.

In operation, the centrifuge media separator 30 may be attached to theblower such that the blower creates an area of low pressure adjacent thecentral opening in order to draw air into the inlet. The air contains acombination of blast particulate and fine particulate. Because the airpassageway 32 circles about itself in the generally spiralconfiguration, particulate having a density greater than the air (i.e.,the blast particulate) is centrifugally directed toward the outer wall.Upon reaching the escape aperture, the blast particulate is exhaustedfrom the air passageway.

Downstream of the escape aperture, the air circulating through the airpassageway may contain fine particulate that may be drawn through thecentral opening formed in the upper panel due to the area of lowpressure formed by the blower. The area of low pressure created by theblower is preferably such that fine particulate is drawn through thecentral opening while the larger size of the blast particulate preventsits passage through the central opening. Rather, the blast particulaterecirculates through the air passageway and is redirected back to theinlet such that the blast particulate might pass through the escapeaperture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blast cabinet having a centrifugemedia separator of the present invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the centrifuge media separator in oneembodiment having a spiral configuration for centrifugally directingblast particulate to an outer wall of the media separator;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the centrifuge media separator taken along line3—3 of FIG. 2 and illustrating blast particulate centrifugally directedtoward the outer wall and exiting at a particulate escape aperture; and

FIG. 4 illustrates relative dimensions of the centrifuge media separatorthat may facilitate movement of the blast particulate in the centrifugaldirection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes ofillustrating the present invention only and not for purposes of limitingthe same, the invention is directed to a centrifuge media separator 30that is specifically configured to separate blast media. The blast mediais generally comprised of blast particulate 18 and fine particulate 20.The centrifuge media separator 30 separates the blast particulate 18from the fine particulate 20 in order to purge the fine particulate 20from an interior of the blast cabinet 10 so as to increase thevisibility of a workpiece 24 being blasted by a pressure hose (notshown) within the blast cabinet. In addition, the separation of theblast particulate 18 from the fine particulate 20 allows for reclaimingor recycling of the blast particulate 18 through the blast cabinet 10 inorder to lower operating costs.

Referring to FIG. 1, shown is the blast cabinet 10 having the centrifugemedia separator 30 of the present invention incorporated therein. Theblast cabinet 10 may be comprised of a housing 48 supported on legs 46.The housing 48 may have a generally inverted pyramid shape such thatspent blast particulate 18 may be funneled downwardly toward a lowerportion of the housing-48 and subsequently picked up by the highpressure source (not shown) for recycling through the blast cabinet 10.The housing 48 has a generally air tight enclosure 12 with arm holes 26to which two hermetically sealed gloves 14 may be attached. The housing48 also includes a transparent window 16 such that an operator may reachthough the arm holes 26 to grasp and/or manipulate the workpiece 24during blasting thereof with the pressure hose.

The housing 48 of the blast cabinet 10 may also include at least onedoor (not shown) allowing access into the enclosure 12 such that theworkpiece 24 may be inserted thereinto and removed therefrom. Thepressure hose is a conduit for a high pressure, high velocity fluid. Thefluid acts as a carrier medium and carries blast particulate 18 for highvelocity discharge onto surfaces of the workpiece 24 in order to removecoatings from or otherwise prepare the workpiece 24 surfaces, as will bedescribed in greater detail below. The fluid may be a gas such as air asmay be utilized in the blast cabinet 10 of FIG. 1. However, the fluidmay also be a liquid such as water. While the specific construction ofthe blast cabinet 10 is as shown in FIG. 1, it should be noted that thecentrifuge media separator 30 may be utilized or incorporated into blastcabinets 10 and other similar devices of differing configurations.

The size of the blast particulate 18 and material from which the blastparticulate 18 is fabricated is based upon the workpiece 24 to beblasted. The blast particulate 18 may be sand, sodium bicarbonate (i.e.,baking soda), metallic shot, glass beads, etc. The blast particulate 18may have a greater density relative to the carrier medium. In cleaningapplications, the blast particulate 18 may be sand having a size ofabout sixty microns. When the sand blast particulate 18 is projected outof the pressure hose and onto the workpiece 24, a portion of the sandmay break down into fine particulate 20 that is too small to beeffective as a blast particulate 18.

Mounted upon an upper portion of the housing 48 may be the centrifugemedia separator 30. The centrifuge media separator 30 has an airpassageway 32 through which the blast media may be drawn by a lowpressure source 52 such as a blower mounted on the blast cabinet 10. Thecentrifuge media separator 30 is fluidly connected to the enclosure 12of the blast cabinet 10. The low pressure source 52 is fluidly connectedto the central opening 36 and is configured to draw air into the inlet34 and exhaust air through the central opening 36. In this manner, theblast media may be drawn upwardly from the enclosure 12 and into the airpassageway 32 wherein the blast particulate 18 may be separated from thefine particulate 20. Optionally, a filter 22 may be provided with theblast cabinet 10 to filter excess amounts of fine particulate 20 leavingthe air passageway 32 prior to exhaustion out of the blast cabinet 10.The blower may be mounted on the blast cabinet 10 above the centrifugemedia separator 30. The blower is configured to ventilate the enclosure12 by providing low pressure in an area surrounding the centrifuge mediaseparator 30. The low pressure provided by the blower draws spentportions of the blast media into the centrifuge media separator 30 forsubsequent separation into blast particulate 18 and fine particulate 20.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3–4, shown is the centrifugemedia separator 30 of the present invention. The centrifuge mediaseparator 30 allows for reclaiming or recycling of blast particulate 18that has not been reduced into particulate of smaller size (i.e., fineparticulate 20). As was earlier mentioned, such fine particulate 20 isnot useful as blasting particulate 18 due to its relatively small size.The centrifuge media separator 30 allows for reclaiming or recycling ofblast particulate 18 from the air. In this manner, the blast particulate18 may not prematurely clog the filter 22, if included. As will beappreciated, such premature clogging of the filter 22 results in anincrease in filter 22 maintenance or more frequent replacement of thefilter 22.

As shown in FIGS. 3–4, the centrifuge media separator 30 is comprised ofan upper panel 54, a lower panel 56, and an outer wall 40 extendingbetween the upper panel 54 and the lower panel 56. The upper panel 54may have a central opening 36 formed in a central portion thereof andthrough which the fine particulate 20 may be exhausted. The centralopening 36 may be connected to the filter 22, if included. The centralopening 36 may be circular as shown. Both the upper panel 54 and thelower panel 56 may be generally flat or substantially planar althoughalternative configurations of the upper rand lower panels 54, 56 arecontemplated. The outer wall 40 may be curvilinear. As shown in FIGS.3–4, the outer wall 40 may preferably have a spiral configuration ofgenerally decreasing radius such that the air passageway 32 generallyassumes a spiral configuration. The inlet 34 and the outlet 38 of theair passageway 32 may be generally located adjacent to one another withthe outlet 38 being disposed within the air passageway 32.

Importantly, the outer wall 40 may include at least one particulateescape aperture 44 formed therein such that the blast particulate 18 maybe exhausted from the air passageway 32 for subsequent recycling throughthe blast cabinet 10. The outer wall 40 may include an air foil 50mounted thereon on a downstream side of the escape aperture 44. The airfoil 50 may be configured to create a local area of low pressureadjacent the escape aperture 44. As shown in FIGS. 3–4, the air foil 50may extend generally radially inwardly toward the central opening 36 andmay span a distance between the upper and lower panels 54, 56. Morespecifically, the air foil 50 may be angled slightly inwardly in adirection generally opposite that of a direction of flow from the inlet34 to the outlet 38. The direction of flow into the inlet 34 and withinthe air passageway 32 is indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrow A. As shown inFIG. 3, the air foil 50 may be oriented at an angle of about forty-fivedegrees relative to a tangent of the outer wall 40 at a location fromwhich the air foil 50 may extend. However, it is contemplated that theair foil 50 may be provided in a variety of alternative configurations.Due to its shape and orientation in the air passageway 32, the air foil50 may be configured to facilitate exhaustion of the blast particulate18 through the escape aperture 44. The air foil 50 may be a separatecomponent that is mounted on the outer wall 40. Alternatively, the airfoil 50 may be integrally formed with the outer wall 40.

An extension 43 may optionally be included with the centrifuge mediaseparator 30. Mounted on the outer wall 40, the extension 43 may extendbetween the upper and lower panels 54, 56 and may extend from and bedisposed in general alignment with the outer wall 40 such that theoutlet 38 is located downstream of the inlet 34 along a direction of theflow A. The extension 43 may be a separate component that extends fromthe outer wall 40 or the extension 43 may be integrally formed with theouter wall 40. By including the extension 43 with the centrifuge mediaseparator 30, reversal of the flow A through the air passageway 32 maybe minimized or prevented.

Referring still to FIGS. 2–4, the centrifuge media separator 30 mayoptionally include an inner ring 42 disposed radially inwardly relativeto the outer wall 40. The inner ring 42 may be sized complementary tothe central opening 36. For example, if the central opening 36 iscircular, then the central opening 36 may preferably be cylindricallyshaped and sized complementary to the circular shape of the centralopening 36. The inner ring 42 may extend partially downwardly from thecentral opening 36. In this regard, the inner ring 42 may extenddownwardly about one-quarter to about one-third of an overall height ofthe centrifuge media separator 30 although the inner ring 42 may extenddownwardly in any amount. The overall height of the centrifuge mediaseparator 30 is defined by a distance between the upper and lower panels54, 56. By including the inner ring 42 with the centrifuge mediaseparator 30, the operating efficiency thereof may be improved.

The upper panel 54, lower panel 56 and outer wall 40 collectively definethe curvilinear air passageway 32 having an inlet 34 and an outlet 38.The inlet 34 may be rectangularly shaped due to the orthogonal relationof the upper and lower panels 54, 56 and the outer wall 40. Similarly,the outlet 38 may also be partially rectangularly shaped due to theorthogonal relation of the upper and lower panels 54, 56 and the outerwall 40 and inner ring 42. However, the inlet 34 may be configured in avariety of alternative shapes as may be provided by including an inlet34 extension 43 of, for example, cylindrical shape. Conversely, theoutlet 38 configuration may be generally determined by the shape of theupper and lower panels 54, 56 and the shape of the outer wall 40 andinner ring 42. The inlet 34 is configured to allow a flow of air toenter the air passageway 32 and circulate therethrough toward the outlet38.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2–4, the air passageway 32 is preferablyconfigured such that a cross sectional area thereof generally decreasesalong a direction of the flow A from the inlet 34 to the outlet 38. Theoutlet 38 is disposed radially inwardly relative to and positioneddownstream of the inlet 34 such that the flow of air enters the inlet34, circulates through the air passageway 32, exits the outlet 38, andrejoins the flow of air entering the inlet 34. The escape aperture 44 isconfigured to exhaust the blast particulate 18 out of the passageway. Inthis regard, the escape aperture 44 may be preferably configured as agenerally rectangularly shaped slot that extends from the upper panel 54to the lower panel 56. The central opening 36 is configured to exhaustthe fine particulate 20 out of the passageway when the low pressuresource 52 is applied to an area surrounding the central opening 36 inthe upper panel 54, as will be described in greater detail below. Thecentrifuge media separator 30 may be manufactured from material selectedfrom the group consisting of wood, plastic, metal, stainless steel,steel, or other suitable material and any combination thereof.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4, the centrifuge mediaseparator 30 may be configured to produce an air inlet 34 velocity ofbetween about two thousand to about six thousand five hundred cubic feetper minute. In order to produce such an air inlet 34 velocity, thecentrifuge media separator 30 may be configured such that the inlet 34has a square configuration with a size of about four inches in widthindicated by “X” in FIG. 2, and five inches in height indicated by “Y”in FIG. 2. The outlet 38 may also have a square configuration having asize of about five inches in height and a width smaller than the widthof the inlet 34. In this regard, the air passageway 32 may have agradually decreasing cross sectional area along the direction of flowwithin the air passageway 32. However, as shown in FIG. 4, thecentrifuge media separator 30 may be configured such that the crosssectional area of the air passageway 32 generally decreases from theinlet 34 to a point about halfway along a length of the air passageway32. A remainder of the length of the air passageway 32 may have agenerally constant cross sectional area, as shown in FIG. 4.

In use, the centrifuge media separator 30 may be attached to the bloweras mentioned above. The blower creates an area of low pressure adjacentthe central opening 36 and in an area adjacent the inner ring 42, ifincluded with the centrifuge media separator 30. The area of lowpressure draws air into the inlet 34. As was earlier mentioned, the aircontains a combination of blast particulate 18 and fine particulate 20.Because the centrifuge media separator 30 is configured such that theair passageway 32 circles about itself, particulate having a densitygreater than the air (i.e., the blast particulate 18) tends to becentrifugally directed toward the outer wall 40. The blast particulate18 may circulate within the centrifuge media separator 30 in a slidingmanner against the outer wall 40.

When the blast particulate 18 reaches the escape aperture 44, the blastparticulate 18 is exhausted from the air passageway 32. A pressuredifferential may exist between an inside and outside of the airpassageway 32 at an area adjacent the escape aperture 44. The outside ofthe air passageway 32 may have a lower pressure compared to that on theinside of the air passageway 32 such that the blast particulate 18 isdrawn to the outside of the air passageway 32. Once outside of the airpassageway 32, gravity may draw the blast particulate 18 downwardly intoa blast particulate 18 hopper such that the blast particulate 18 can bereused. The pressure differential between the inside and outside of theair passageway 32 may be increased with the addition of the air foil 50such that the separating efficiency of the centrifuge media separator 30is enhanced.

Downstream of the escape aperture 44, the air circulating through theair passageway 32 may contain fine particulate 20. The air with fineparticulate 20 may be drawn through the central opening 36 formed in theupper panel 54 due to the application of low pressure by the blower. Ifthe centrifuge media separator 30 includes an inner ring 42, the air maypass under and around the inner ring 42 such that it may be drawnupwardly through the central opening 36. The low pressure may besufficient to draw air with fine particulate 20 through the centralopening 36 but not insufficient to draw the blast particulate 18therethrough. As such, the blast particulate 18 downstream of the escapeaperture 44 may be recirculated through the air passageway 32 andredirected back to the inlet 34 such that the blast particulate 18 mightpass through the escape aperture 44.

FIG. 4 illustrates preferred relative dimensions of the centrifuge mediaseparator 30 wherein X represents a unit of measurement equivalent tothe inlet 34 width. A major diameter of the outer wall 40 may be aboutthree times the inlet 34 width. The inner ring 42 may have a diameterwhich is about two times the inlet 34 width. The in inner ring 42 may begenerally coaxially aligned with the outer wall 40. Preferably, theinlet 34 air velocity is preferably about two thousand to about sixthousand five hundred feet per minute. To achieve such a velocity, thevolume of air passing through the air passageway 32 may be approximatelyfive hundred cubic feet per minute. Under such geometrical constraintsand with the inlet 34 being sized with a four inch width and a five inchheight, the velocity of the air at the inlet 34 may be approximatelythirty-five hundred feet per minute.

As stated above, the air passageway 32 may have a generally decreasingcross sectional area in a direction of flow A from the inlet 34 to theoutlet 38. The decreasing cross sectional area of the air passageway 32increases the air velocity as the air progresses downstream of the inlet34. Preferably, the air flow is laminar once the air reaches the escapeaperture 44 wherein the blast particulate 18 may be centrifugallydirected to the outer wall 40 such that the blast particulate 18 mayexit the particulate escape aperture 44.

Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention mayalso be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, theparticular combination of parts described and illustrated herein isintended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention,and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative deviceswithin the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A centrifuge media separator for separating blast particulate fromfine particulate carried by air flowing from a blast cabinet through themedia separator, the centrifuge media separator comprising: an upperpanel having a central opening formed therein; a lower panel; and acurvilinear outer wall extending between the upper and lower panels andhaving at least one particulate escape aperture formed therein; whereinthe upper panel, lower panel and outer wall collectively define acurvilinear air passageway having an inlet and an outlet, the airpassageway being configured such that a cross sectional area thereofgenerally decreases along a direction of the flow from the inlet to theoutlet, the inlet being configured for allowing a flow of air to enterthe air passageway and circulate therethrough toward the outlet, theescape aperture being configured to exhaust the blast particulate out ofthe passageway, the central opening being configured to exhaust the fineparticulate out of the passageway.
 2. The centrifuge media separator ofclaim 1 further comprising: an inner ring disposed radially inwardlyrelative to the outer wall and being sized complementary to andextending downwardly from the central opening.
 3. The centrifuge mediaseparator of claim 2 wherein the inner ring is cylindrically shaped. 4.The centrifuge media separator of claim 1 wherein: the outer wall has aspiral configuration of generally decreasing radius; the outlet beingdisposed within the air passageway radially inwardly relative to andadjacent the inlet such that the flow of air enters the inlet,circulates through the air passageway, exits the outlet, and rejoins theflow of air entering the inlet.
 5. The centrifuge media separator ofclaim 1 further comprising a low pressure source fluidly connected tothe central opening and configured to draw air into the inlet andexhaust air through the central opening.
 6. The centrifuge mediaseparator of claim 5 wherein the low pressure source is a blower mountedon the blast cabinet.
 7. The centrifuge media separator of claim 6wherein the blower is sized to generate a velocity of between about 2000to about 6500 feet per minute for air entering the inlet.
 8. Acentrifuge media separator for separating blast particulate from fineparticulate carried by air flowing from a blast cabinet through themedia separator, the centrifuge media separator comprising: an upperpanel having a central opening formed therein; a lower panel; acurvilinear outer wall extending between the upper and lower panels andhaving at least one particulate escape aperture formed therein; and anair foil mounted on the outer wall adjacent to the escape aperture andextending generally radially inwardly toward the central opening, theair foil being configured to facilitate exhaustion of the blastparticulate through the escape aperture; wherein the upper panel, lowerpanel and outer wall collectively define a curvilinear air passagewayhaving an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being configured for allowing aflow of air to enter the air passageway and circulate therethroughtoward the outlet, the escape aperture being configured to exhaust theblast particulate out of the passageway, the central opening beingconfigured to exhaust the fine particulate out of the passageway.
 9. Thecentrifuge media separator of claim 8 wherein the air foil is disposedon a downstream side of the escape aperture.
 10. The centrifuge mediaseparator of claim 8 wherein the outer wall and the air foil areintegrally formed as a unitary structure.
 11. A centrifuge mediaseparator for separating blast particulate from fine particulate carriedby air flowing from a blast cabinet through the media separator, thecentrifuge media separator comprising: a substantially planar upperpanel having a circularly shaped opening formed in a central portionthereof; a substantially planar lower panel; a curvilinear outer wallhaving a spiral configuration of generally decreasing radius, the outerwall extending between the upper and lower panels and having at leastone particulate escape aperture formed therein; an air foil mounted onthe outer wall adjacent to the escape aperture and extending generallyradially inwardly toward the central opening, the air foil beingconfigured to facilitate exhaustion of the blast particulate through theescape aperture; an extension extending between the upper and lowerpanels and extending from the outer wall such that the outlet is locateddownstream of the inlet along a direction of the flow for preventing aflow reversal at the inlet; and a cylindrically shaped inner ringdisposed radially inwardly relative to the outer wall and being sizedcomplementary to and extending partially downwardly from the centralopening; wherein the upper panel, lower panel and outer wallcollectively define a curvilinear air passageway having a rectangularlyshaped inlet and a rectangularly shaped outlet, the inlet beingconfigured for allowing a flow of air to enter the air passageway andcirculate therethrough toward the outlet, the air passageway beingconfigured such that a cross sectional area thereof generally decreasesalong a direction of the flow from the inlet to the outlet, the outletbeing disposed radially inwardly relative to and positioned downstreamof the inlet such that the flow of air enters the inlet, circulatesthrough the air passageway, exits the outlet, and rejoins the flow ofair entering the inlet, the escape aperture being configured to exhaustthe blast particulate out of the passageway, the central opening beingconfigured to exhaust the fine particulate out of the passageway. 12.The centrifuge media separator of claim 11 wherein the air foil isdisposed on a downstream side of the escape aperture.
 13. The centrifugemedia separator of claim 12 wherein the outer wall and the air foil areintegrally formed as a unitary structure.
 14. The centrifuge mediaseparator of claim 11 further comprising a low pressure source fluidlyconnected to the central opening and configured to draw air into theinlet and exhaust air through the central opening.
 15. The centrifugemedia separator of claim 14 wherein the low pressure source is a blowermounted on the blast cabinet.
 16. A blast cabinet having a centrifugemedia separator for separating blast particulate from fine particulatecarried by air flowing from the blast cabinet and into the mediaseparator, the blast cabinet having a housing defining an enclosure andbeing configured for blasting a workpiece disposed within the enclosure,the centrifuge media separator being mounted on the housing andcomprising: an upper panel having a central opening formed therein; alower panel; and a curvilinear outer wall extending between the upperand lower panels and having at least one particulate escape apertureformed therein; wherein the upper panel, lower panel and outer wallcollectively define a curvilinear air passageway having an inlet and anoutlet, the air passageway being configured such that a cross sectionalarea thereof generally decreases along a direction of the flow from theinlet to the outlet, the inlet being configured for allowing a flow ofair to enter the air passageway and circulate therethrough toward theoutlet, the escape aperture being configured to exhaust the blastparticulate out of the passageway, the central opening being configuredto exhaust the fine particulate out of the passageway.
 17. Thecentrifuge media separator of claim 16 further comprising: an inner ringdisposed radially inwardly relative to the outer wall and being sizedcomplementary to and extending partially downwardly from the centralopening.
 18. The centrifuge media separator of claim 17 wherein theinner ring is cylindrically shaped.
 19. The centrifuge media separatorof claim 16 wherein: the outer wall has a spiral configuration ofgenerally decreasing radius; the outlet being disposed within the airpassageway radially inwardly relative to and adjacent the inlet suchthat the flow of air enters the inlet, circulates through the airpassageway, exits the outlet, and rejoins the flow of air entering theinlet.
 20. The centrifuge media separator of claim 16 further comprisinga low pressure source fluidly connected to the central opening andconfigured to draw air into the inlet and exhaust air through thecentral opening.
 21. The centrifuge media separator of claim 20 whereinthe low pressure source is a blower mounted on the housing.
 22. A blastcabinet having a centrifuge media separator for separating blastparticulate from fine particulate carried by air flowing from the blastcabinet and into the media separator, the blast cabinet having a housingdefining an enclosure and being configured for blasting a workpiecedisposed within the enclosure, the centrifuge media separator beingmounted on the housing and comprising: an upper panel having a centralopening formed therein; a lower panel; and a curvilinear outer wallextending between the upper and lower panels and having at least oneparticulate escape aperture formed therein; an air foil mounted on theouter wall adjacent to the escape aperture and extending generallyradially inwardly toward the central opening, the air foil beingconfigured to facilitate exhaustion of the blast particulate through theescape aperture; wherein the upper panel, lower panel and outer wallcollectively define a curvilinear air passageway having an inlet and anoutlet, the inlet being configured for allowing a flow of air to enterthe air passageway and circulate therethrough toward the outlet, theescape aperture being configured to exhaust the blast particulate out ofthe passageway the central opening being configured to exhaust the fineparticulate out of the passageway.
 23. The centrifuge media separator ofclaim 22 wherein the air foil is disposed on a downstream side of theescape aperture.
 24. The centrifuge media separator of claim 22 whereinthe outer wall and the air foil are integrally formed as a unitarystructure.